1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to network adapters, specifically to a method for configuring multiple partitions to use a shared network adapter.
2. Description of the Related Art
A network adapter (NA) is a piece of computer hardware designed to enable computers to communicate over computer networks. Typically, NAs provide physical access to a networking medium and a low-level addressing system for sending and receiving network traffic.
Server computers generally are single devices with resources for computer processing, including processors, memory and storage. Typically, a server device with significant resources is divided up into logical partitions. (LPARs). One LPAR behaves as a single system with control over the resources allocated to the particular LPAR. When a server device is connected to a network, each LPAR may use network communications, and accordingly require NAs to send and receive network traffic. However, even though operating within a single device, NAs typically are not designed to handle network traffic for more than one system. Accordingly, one NA must be installed for each LPAR.
Installing multiple NAs on a single device requires greater resources in terms of real estate within the device, and energy requirements. Additional NA cards take up valuable space within tightly condensed components of a server, and require additional energy to both run the additional NA's and to keep the server's components within a range of safe operating temperatures. Further, each additional adapter adds to the load on the server's peripheral component interconnect (PCI) buses, which is detrimental to the server's overall performance.
Shared network adapters (SNAs), on the other hand, bypass the PCI buses, and route traffic on a private bus directly to a processor. Further, SNAs reduce the need to rely on multiple NAs for network communications on one server device. SNAs are designed to facilitate network communications for multiple systems. Accordingly, one SNA can handle network communications for each LPAR on a server, potentially enabling all the LPARs on a single server device to send and receive network traffic on one SNA, instead of requiring one NA for each LPAR. Accordingly, there is a need for a method to configure multiple partitions for a shared network adapter.